Determining a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a packet

Abstract

A physical layer (PHY) data unit is received via an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication channel. The PHY data unit includes (i) a first set of one or more short OFDM symbols generated using a normal tone spacing and (ii) a second set of one or more long OFDM symbols generated using a reduced tone spacing, (iii) an OFDM symbol indicator indicative of a number of OFDM symbols in at least one of (a) the first set of OFDM symbols and (b) the second set of OFDM symbols; Based at least in part on the OFDM symbol indicator, (i) a number of short OFDM symbols in the set of one or more short OFDM symbols and (ii) a number of long OFDM symbols in the set of one or more long OFDM symbols are determined.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for processing a physical layer (PHY) data unit, the method comprising:
 receiving the PHY data unit via an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication channel, wherein
 the PHY data unit includes a set of one or more short OFDM symbols generated using a normal tone spacing, a set of one or more long OFDM symbols generated using a reduced tone spacing, an OFDM symbol indicator indicative of a number of OFDM symbols in at least one of (a) the set of one or more short OFDM symbols and (b) the set of one or more long OFDM symbols, and a length indicator indicative of a duration of at least a portion of the PHY data unit; and 
 
 determining, based at least in part on the OFDM symbol indicator, (i) a number of short OFDM symbols in the set of one or more short OFDM symbols and (ii) a number of long OFDM symbols in the set of one or more long OFDM symbols, wherein 
 if the OFDM symbol indicator indicates only the number of OFDM symbols in the set of one or more short OFDM symbols, determining the number of short OFDM symbols and the number of long OFDM symbols includes determining the number of long OFDM symbols based on the length indicator and the indicated number of short OFDM symbols, and 
 if the OFDM symbol indicator indicates only the number of OFDM symbols in the set of one or more long OFDM symbols, determining the number of short OFDM symbols and the number of long OFDM symbols includes determining the number of short OFDM symbols based on the length indicator and the indicated number of long OFDM symbols. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PHY data unit (i) conforms to a first communication protocol and (ii) includes a legacy portion decodable by legacy devices that conform to a second communication protocol but do not conform to the first communication protocol, and wherein the length indicator is included in the legacy portion to allow a legacy device to at least approximately determine the duration of the PHY data unit. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , the OFDM symbol indicator includes (i) a first ambiguity indicator to indicate an ambiguity in determining a number of long OFDM symbols and (ii) a second ambiguity indicator to indicate an ambiguity in determining a number of short OFDM symbols, and wherein determining the number of long OFDM symbols and the number of short OFDM symbols includes
 determining the number of long OFDM symbols based on the length indicator and the first ambiguity indicator, and 
 determining the number of short OFDM symbols based on the length indicator, the second ambiguity indicator, and the determined number of long OFDM symbols. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PHY data unit (i) conforms to a first communication protocol and (ii) includes a legacy portion decodable by legacy devices that conform to a second communication protocol but do not conform to the first communication protocol, and wherein the length indicator is included in a non-legacy portion of the PHY data unit, the non-legacy portion not decodable by legacy devices that do not conform to the first communication protocol. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the OFDM symbol indicator includes a first set of bits that indicate the number of long OFDM symbols and a second set of bits that indicate the number of short OFDM symbols. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the length indicator indicates a length calculated based on an actual length of the PHY data unit and based on a predetermined rate such that a receiving device can at least approximately determine the actual length of the PHY data unit based on the length indicator and on the predetermined rate. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined rate is lower than a lowest rate defined by the second communication protocol. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , the OFDM symbol indicator includes (i) a first ambiguity indicator to indicate an ambiguity in determining a number of long OFDM symbols and (ii) a second ambiguity indicator to indicate an ambiguity in determining a number of short OFDM symbols, and wherein determining the number of long OFDM symbols and the number of short OFDM symbols includes
 determining the number of long OFDM symbols based on the length indicator and the first ambiguity indicator, and 
 determining the number of short OFDM symbols based on the length indicator, the second ambiguity indicator, and the determined number of long OFDM symbols. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reduced OFDM spacing is ¼ fraction of the normal OFDM spacing. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus, comprising:
 a network interface configured to
 receive a physical layer (PHY) data unit via an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication channel, wherein
 the PHY data unit includes a set of one or more short OFDM symbols generated using a normal tone spacing, a set of one or more long OFDM symbols generated using a reduced tone spacing, an OFDM symbol indicator indicative of a number of OFDM symbols in at least one of (a) the set of one or more short OFDM symbols and (b) the-set of one or more long OFDM symbols, and a length indicator indicative of a duration of at least a portion of the PHY data unit; and 
 
 determine, based at least in part on the OFDM symbol indicator, (i) a number of short OFDM symbols in the set of one or more short OFDM symbols and (ii) a number of long OFDM symbols in the set of one or more long OFDM symbols, wherein 
 
 the network interface is configured to
 if the OFDM symbol indicator indicates only the number of OFDM symbols in the set of one or more short OFDM symbols, determine the number of long OFDM symbols based on the length indicator and the indicated number of short OFDM symbols, and 
 if the OFDM symbol indicator indicates only the number of OFDM symbols in the set of one or more long OFDM symbols, determine the number of short OFDM symbols based on the length indicator and the indicated number of long OFDM symbols. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the PHY data unit (i) conforms to a first communication protocol and (ii) includes a legacy portion decodable by legacy devices that conform to a second communication protocol but do not conform to the first communication protocol, and wherein the length indicator is included in the legacy portion to allow a legacy device to at least approximately determine the duration of the PHY data unit. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the OFDM symbol indicator includes (i) a first ambiguity indicator to indicate an ambiguity in determining a number of long OFDM symbols and (ii) a second ambiguity indicator to indicate an ambiguity in determining a number of short OFDM symbols, and wherein the network interface is configured to
 determine the number of long OFDM symbols based on the length indicator and the first ambiguity indicator, and 
 determine the number of short OFDM symbols based on the length indicator, the second ambiguity, and the determined number of long OFDM symbols. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the PHY data unit (i) conforms to a first communication protocol and (ii) includes a legacy portion decodable by legacy devices that conform to a second communication protocol but do not conform to the first communication protocol, and wherein the length indicator is included in a non-legacy portion of the PHY data unit, the non-legacy portion not decodable by legacy devices that do not conform to the first communication protocol. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the OFDM symbol indicator includes a first set of bits that indicate the number of long OFDM symbols and a second set of bits that indicate the number of short OFDM symbols. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the length indicator indicates a length calculated based on an actual length of the PHY data unit and based on a predetermined rate such that a receiving device can at least approximately determine the actual length of the PHY data unit based on the length indicator and the predetermined rate. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined rate is lower than a lowest rate defined by the second communication protocol. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 15 , the OFDM symbol indicator includes (i) a first ambiguity indicator to indicate an ambiguity in determining a number of long OFDM symbols and (ii) a second ambiguity indicator to indicate an ambiguity in determining a number of short OFDM symbols, and wherein the network interface is configured to
 determine the number of long OFDM symbols based on the length indicator and the first ambiguity indicator, and 
 determine the number of short OFDM symbols based on the length indicator, the second ambiguity indicator, and the determined number of long OFDM symbols. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the reduced OFDM spacing is ¼ fraction of the normal OFDM spacing.